Crewe Alex: Manager is minded to work on mentality

Crewe Alex players underwent an assessment of their mentality earlier today (Tuesday), with a view to them being helped to become more resilient and develop a winning mindset.

Manager David Artell revealed that he asked every member of his squad to complete a questionnaire about themselves and how they feel about different situations, on and off the pitch.

He and his coaching staff then answered the same questions about each of the footballers from their point of view, to enable them to compare and contrast the answers.

It’s likely a trained psychologist will then be called in to work with the players, in a bid to help them improve in the short, medium and long term.

Artell explained: “When a manager starts speaking about stuff like this people say ‘oh they’ve got mental issues’ because it’s a taboo subject in society.

“But I’m open and honest about it. I’ll be telling the players we are going to help them. It’s not a quick fix.

“I’m not trying to ‘get into their minds’ and take them away in a straitjacket, it’s trying to get their mindset always like the Notts County one and never like the Carlisle one.

“The players and the staff are doing it. It’s so we fully understand, as staff, where they are. Then we’ll do it on each player as a group of staff, compare and contrast, and then seek outside influence.”

One of Artell’s first moves when he took over with Crewe in the thick of a relegation battle in January, was engage the services of sports psychologist Jo Maher to help arrest an alarming run of results.

He feels the benefits were substantial.

Now the Alex are struggling in certain areas. Perhaps most pointedly, in their last 15 games the team to score the first goal has gone on to take the points. That’s only been Crewe five times.

Artell added: “Jo came in and was absolutely terrific, she gave me and Kenny (Lunt) and Alex (Morris) little pointers from a different angle.

“What is a winning mentality. It rolls off the tongue, but what is a winning mindset? What makes you a winner?

“We all think we have an idea. But how do you give someone that, and help them to achieve it?

“If you understand where they are at the minute and can make interventions at the right time, subtle words will help.